Turn your PC into Radio with BlogRadio Desktop Manager from Intel AppUp Center | TechnoEnclave

Radio is definitely not out of date. I do listen to podcasts which is a new generation technology where information is presented as audio files. However, i haven’t came across a service where i could listen to blogs posts in audio format.

BlogRadio Desktop Manager is a freeware available from Intel AppUp Center, with which you can listen to any RSS Feed as streaming podcasts. Developed using cloud based technology, the service automatically converts the contents of an RSS feed into audio using a powerful text-to-speech rendering engine.

In order to work with BlogRadio Desktop Manager, you should install it from the Communications category of Intel AppUp Center.

Figure 1 – Proceeding to Install BlogRadio

As soon as you complete the installation process, you will view a screen where you need to provide your sync code which you can request by providing your email address. However, sync code will be generated automatically and visible on the bottom corner of the tool.

Figure 2 – Getting Started with BlogRadio

BlogRadio ships preloaded with sample feeds of sites such as deadline.com, Engadget, Huffington post, PopSugar and Ovi Daily App, which you can make use of to test the functionality of the tool.

In order to add RSS feed of your own blog, click Add button located on the left side navigation bar. You will view an user interface as shown below

Figure 3 – RSS Feed Data Entry User Interface

As you can see, you should provide your blog name, RSS URL and also select an appropriate voice of the accent you are familiar with.

Figure 4 – Adding Blog and Selecting Voice

For instance, if you are in India you can select Anjali voice. You can hear samples of all built-in voices by selecting Test the Voices button.

Figure 5 – Test Drive all Built-in Voices

Moreover, you will not be able to hear audio of your blog posts immediately as it will take around 8 hours for your blog to get processed and activated. As of now (12.15 PM IST), I am waiting for my blog to get processed. I will post an update here as soon as my blog posts are available for hearing.

BlogRadio will be very useful if you travel a lot. You can add your favourite blogs when you are at home/work and then listen to the posts while driving or during travelling in train or bus. The only requirement is that you should require access to Internet.

The advantage of BlogRadio is its ability to render blog posts in different voice and hence you need not have to visit the relevant blog and read the posts. You can make use of the valuable time you spend to read the blogs normally for other activities such as blogging or tweeting.

Update – August 31, 2011, 8.45 PM IST

I am unable to see any blog post entries on the right hand side panel of the BlogRadio Desktop Manager User Interface. I have added another blog and provide an update on September 1, 2011 morning.

Update – September 1, 2011, 10.25 AM IST

I am still unable to see any blog post entries on the BlogRadio Desktop Manager User Interface. The tool doesn’t displays any post when I click on the relevant blog title.

BlogRadio states that new blogs will be processsed within 8 hours. I will wait till today evening and update this post with the real status.

Update – September 2, 2011, 10.50 AM IST

I am still unable to see any entries on the BlogRadio Desktop Manager User Interface even after 3 days of adding the URLs. I can only see the entries of the built-in RSS feeds.

I hope the developers will resolve the problem in the release of next version of BlogRadio.

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